Content

• Steps

Fin rot is a common symptom of a bacterial infection found in many fish species, from bettas to goldfish. This disease is often caused by dirty aquariums, poor care of fish or exposure to fish with infectious diseases. The fins of infected fish look tattered as if it were rotting. Fin rot can also cause fish discoloration and lethargy. If not treated properly, fin rot can cause permanent fin damage to the fish and risk death. It is also a contagious disease and sick fish should be quarantined as soon as possible to prevent infecting other fish in the tank.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Rinse the aquarium

1. 

   Remove the infected fish from the tank. Start by removing the diseased fish from the tank and placing it in a separate tank with clean and chlorinated water.
   • You also need to transfer the remaining fish to another tank with clean, chlorinated water. Use another racket to remove the remaining fish, as fin rot can be spread if you use the same racket to remove the fish. Do not put infected fish in the same tank with other fish to prevent the spread of fin rot.

2. 

   
   
   Wash the tank and all tank accessories. You will have to drain all the water from the tank, remove any accessories and gravel from the tank.
   • Rinse the tank thoroughly with hot water. Do not use soap to wash the tank. Use paper towels to wipe nooks and crannies and make sure to wash the tank well.
   • Soak the accessories in hot water for 5-10 minutes. If there are aquatic plants in your aquarium, soak the plants in slightly warm water, then remove and allow to dry.
   • Wash gravel with warm water and use a small vacuum cleaner to remove dirt on the gravel.

3. 

   
   
   Change all the water in the aquarium. After you wash the tank and let it dry completely, you can place the gravel and the accessories back into the tank. If your tank does not have a recirculating water system, you will need to replace all the water in the tank with chlorinated or filtered water. Make sure the water is at 26-27 degrees Celsius.
   • If the aquarium has a recirculating water system, there is already a concentration of probiotics on the submerged surfaces of the tank (probiotics accumulate mainly by the fish that live in the tank excrete nitrogen); In this case you should change 50% of the water in the tank; the next time you can change the water less.
   • If your aquarium has a water filter, you should take a bucket of clean water from the tank to rinse the filter. Once you've washed the dirt or sand, you can put it back in the tank. Do not use tap water for washing as this may contaminate the filter.

4. 

   
   
   Check the pH of the water in the tank. Before returning the fish to the tank, you should test the pH to ensure water quality. The pH should be in the range 7-8, and the concentration of ammonia, nitrite and nitrate should not exceed 40 ppm.
   • Once you've determined that the water is suitable for your fish, you can slowly re-enter the tank, including the infected fish. You can then add an antibiotic or an antifungal to the water to kill the bacteria that cause fin rot. The combination of clean water and medicine can help cure the fish.
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Part 2 of 3: Treatment with drugs and herbs

1. 

   Use antimicrobial fin rot. If your fish disease has not improved for a few days after you have cleaned and disposed of the tank, you may need an antimicrobial for fin rot. You can buy over-the-counter medications from your local veterinary drug store. Look for a fin rot treatment specifically made for the type of fish you keep, such as fin rot treatment for bettas or goldfish. Use according to the dosage directions on the package label.
   • These drugs often contain antibiotics to treat fungi such as erythromycin, minocycline, trimethoprim and sulfadimidine. Make sure the fin rot treatment does not contain organic dyes, as they can be toxic to some fish.
   • Commonly used fin rot treatments include Jungle Fungus Eliminator and Tetracycline. You can also use drugs called Maracyn, Maracyn II, Waterlife- Myxazin, and MelaFix.

2. 

   Try tea tree oil and salt. An alternative to medication is to use tea tree oil and salt. Be aware, however, that tea tree oil is not considered a proven treatment and should only be used as a preventive measure rather than a treatment. You may need to add an antibacterial or antibiotic to tea tree oil.
   • You can add 1-2 drops of tea tree oil to the aquarium water to keep the water clean and disinfected. Make sure the fish is not reacting negatively to the tea tree oil before you add it to the tank the next day.
   • Sodium chloride can also be used to prevent fin rot. Add to the aquarium 30 g of sodium chloride salt for every 4 liters of water. Use only for salt-tolerant freshwater fish.

3. 

   Use an air pump or aeration tablet when you put medication in the aquarium. When treating sick fish with medication, you should give the fish more oxygen to breathe. Smoking often smokes oxygen in the water, so you will need more oxygen to keep your fish healthy. Install a pump, aerator or aquarium in the aquarium to pump more oxygen into the water.
   • If you have a betta fish, you should keep the pump low so that the water current is not too strong, as strong water currents can stress your bettas.
   • You should only take the medicine for the length indicated on the label. The drug can be stressful for the fish and is only used when needed.
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Part 3 of 3: Preventing fin rot

1. 

   Keep the water in the tank clean and change the water once a week. The clean aquarium helps the fish get rid of fin rot and prevent disease from developing in the future. You should get into the habit of cleaning the tank periodically.
   • For a 4-liter aquarium, you should change the water every three days. A 10-liter aquarium needs to be changed every 4-5 days, and a 20-liter aquarium needs to be changed every 7 days.
   • If your tank does not have a recirculation system, you will need to change 100% of the water each time you wash the tank. Wash all tank accessories and gravel.
   • Add aquarium salt to the water after each tank wash to keep the water clean and to monitor the pH of the tank for fish.

2. 

   Make sure not to drop too many fish in the tank. Although you may be tempted to keep lots of fish in one tank, a cramped aquarium can increase stress levels and increase the risk of disease. Make sure the fish in the same tank get along well, have plenty of space to swim and interact in a healthy way.
   • If you see fish starting to poke or bite each other, this is a sign that your tank is overcrowded.You may have to remove the fish from the tank or isolate the aggressive fish from other fish.
   • Some types of fish that tend to prick their fins include the tetrahedron, red snapper, and sailfish. Fairy fish and catfish may also poke each other's fins, just like puffer fish and strainers. If you have any of these fishes, be careful and separate them from vulnerable fish like guppies.

3. 

   Feed the fish with high quality food. Try to feed your fish a variety of good quality foods at the right time. Overfeeding or overfeeding can weaken the fish's immune system and increase the risk of disease.
   • Overfeeding the fish can also cause more bacteria to enter the aquarium, as leftovers will float in the water and increase the bacterial density in the aquarium.
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